Mechanical Properties of a Ni-Co-Cr-Mo Alloy

Because effective reinforcement materials must have both high capacity for load bearing and high resistance to deformation under external force, they require both high mechanical tensile strength and a high elasticity modulus. Both strength and modulus are usually amplified at cryogenic temperatures, so properties at both cryogenic and room temperatures must be characterized before the materials can be used for applications. In this study, we investigated a nickel-based alloy whose Young's modulus is higher than that of the stainless steels that have commonly been relied on as reinforcement materials in cryogenic environments. Our test alloy was subjected to a type of thermo-mechanical processing that strengthens the alloy through very fine planar defects. We first deformed the alloy to various magnitudes at room temperature, and we then measured its properties at both cryogenic and room temperatures. Finally, we assessed the properties (at both temperatures) of the materials that were deformed to different deformation strains at room temperature. We found that our test alloy had anisotropy in both elastic modulus and mechanical strength and had more resistance to plastic deformation at cryogenic temperatures than at room temperatures. We then investigated physical property changes in various magnetic fields and at various cryogenic temperatures. This paper summarizes 1) the changes that occurred in the microstructure of our alloy and 2) the properties desirable for effective reinforcement materials.